A new book explores how building relationships can make your life happier.
The Problem
Happiness can be an elusive thing for most people. A 2020 Harris poll found that only 33% of Americans self-identify that they are happy, and that number was an increase from 31% in 2016.
“What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life? A good life? According to the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize,” says Simon and Schuster.
Dr. Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz are experts in psychology and helped in a study that has tracked 724 men for 80 years, following their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren. As they reveal in their new book The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, the answer to finding happiness in life may be more straightforward than one could imagine.
Possible Solutions
Having solid relationships and strong connections helps us live happier and healthier lives. This might be a simple insight, but the Harvard Study shows them to be invaluable for living a happy life. The research bolsters the classical wisdom of this truism.
“Relationships in all their forms—friendships, romantic partnerships, families, coworkers, tennis partners, book club members, Bible study groups—all contribute to a happier, healthier life. And as The Good Life shows us, it’s never too late to strengthen the relationships you have, and never too late to build new ones,” says Simon and Schuster.
“With warmth, wisdom, and compelling life stories, The Good Life shows us how we can make our lives happier and more meaningful through our connections to others.”
The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness will be published on January 10, 2023, by Simon & Schuster.
